Currently, there are a number of different parking guidance systems for guiding a driver while parking a vehicle. For example, some vehicles include an onboard proximity detection system that audibly warns the driver, using short “beeps” or other sounds, as the vehicle approaches a wall or other object behind the vehicle. In some cases, the warning sounds change, for example, in frequency and/or pitch, in order to indicate the amount of space remaining between the vehicle and the object and/or to convey a stronger or more urgent warning as the remaining space decreases. However, one drawback of such proximity detection systems is that the warning sounds can be difficult to translate into a distance in terms of feet or inches. Also, the proximity detection equipment may not be available in certain (e.g., economy-level) vehicles.
Some vehicles include one or more cameras for capturing video of a rear (or front) of the vehicle and a display within the vehicle for displaying the captured video in real time. Using the live video feed, the driver can directly observe the space behind (or ahead of) the vehicle while moving the vehicle into a parking spot. However, one drawback of such video-based parking systems is the need for expensive equipment (e.g., camera(s), display screen, etc.) and complex circuitry, features that are not available in certain vehicles and/or are not feasible at certain price points.
Other existing parking systems include laser beams that are installed at predetermined points on the vehicle and projected onto either a forward or rearward surface adjacent to a parking spot. A position of the laser beams on the surface can indicate the distance between the vehicle and the surface and can help guide the driver into the spot. For example, in one system, a vertical line is applied to the rearward surface, and alignment of the laser beams on the vertical line indicates that the vehicle is properly positioned within the parking spot. However, such laser-based systems have several drawbacks. For example, laser beams can be extremely difficult to observe in bright sunlight conditions, and their performance may be affected by temperature changes and other external factors. Also, implementation of such systems can be costly and complex.
Accordingly, there still exists a need for an effective parking guidance system that can help drivers ascertain a distance between a vehicle and a wall or other object within a path of the vehicle and does not require expensive equipment or complex installation.